Labor Pains of Life - When Your World Explodes – August 21 Readings: John 16:20-22 – Sorrow to Joy

John 14-16: When Your World Explodes

Jesus knew, the night before his death, that the disciples' world was about to be blown to pieces. He would be arrested, tried, and crucified. They'd committed themselves to Jesus and he would be gone. In this powerful message, Jesus prepared the disciples to live in peace and spiritual power when the world around them was falling apart.

We will take the next three weeks delving into this passage.

Today's Reading: John 16:20-22       

20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.

Through the Bible Readings: Ecclesiastes 11-12, Romans 11:1–10, Psalm 98, Proverbs20:29–30 

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional: Labor Pains of Life    

Have you ever wondered why a woman has more than one baby? I was present when all four of my children were born and as best I can decipher, using my detective skills, gathering the evidence, I have come to this conclusion. She went through some significant pain during the process of childbirth. When something is painful to me, I avoid it, but after each long process of labor was over, she was ready (eventually) to go through it again. 

There is a reason for that, which Jesus referenced in verse 21 in our passage today. When the baby is born, joy comes and the pain begins to fade. It is not so much that the pain is forgotten, perhaps, but that the joy of the newborn baby is so great that it outweighs the suffering. 

I had a discussion recently with two men whose families had encountered tragedy and hardship. They were reflecting on family members who were dealing with the question of why God allowed the suffering their family experienced. In the middle of the suffering it is hard to understand the whys and wherefores of God's will and purposes. This earth is a lifelong process of labor pains that culminates in that glorious moment when we see Jesus face to face and all the promises of the Gospel come to pass. 

We have come to expect the process to be fun, to be easy, to be free of pain and suffering, but that is not the way of things in our faith. We are called to live as strangers and aliens in this world, preparing for the glories of heaven, but we want ease and comfort in the here and now. 

Jesus was preparing his disciples for the reality of discipleship. Life can be hard. Serving Jesus is not always fun. The process of pregnancy and giving birth isn't always fun, I suppose. It is hard work and suffering and pain and enduring until the end, when the treasure hoped for arrives. 

That is what we must remember. The treasure we hope for, and wait for, and long for - it is worth it. It is so wonderful that a moment in the presence of Jesus will make us forget everything we have suffered here on earth. It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus. 

Father, help me to remember why I am here. It is not to enjoy this world, but to to labor for the day I see Jesus!

Think and Pray:

What is your attitude toward life? Are you living for pleasure and fun? 

Or do you realize that life is about enduring suffering for the day you see Jesus face to face?